I’m an avid urban cyclist. I did a 10-mile round trip commute to a job yesterday in a skirt and 5-inch platform sandals (my client whipped out a ruler and measured them when he saw me come into the office). I’m on my bike pretty much every day: running errands, commuting to work, visiting friends…riding a bike is chock-full of endorphin-releasing goodness.
As a working mother, the moments I’m on my bike are often the only times I can squeeze in some precious fresh air and exercise. But, because I live in the Boston area (Brookline Village), the joy I feel when I’m on my bike is often punctuated by moments of sheer stress and fear, because riding around here can also be a total scare-fest.
Boston’s Mayor Menino has proclaimed: “The car is no longer king.” I want to be a part of changing the mentality here in Boston about how people get around town. I’m tired of the stress and hassle and expense of driving everywhere, especially when there are other, vastly healthier options.
More bikes, less cars. When you consider that over 80% of all car trips are 2 miles or less, Americans need to walk and bike more, and drive less–even one less trip a week would add up! This is the first of a 3-postcard series for a wonderful nonprofit organization called LivableStreets. Check them out: www.livablestreets.info. I’ll share the other ones once they go to press. [designer: Nina Garfinkle]
Mercury Communications 